Arsenal boss Slegers expects tough game against ‘aggresive and passionate’ Twente | OneFootball

Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers is expecting another challenging game when her side face Dutch club FC Twente in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Tuesday evening.

The Gunners play The Girls of Twente in their latest league phase fixture at the Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park.

Both clubs need points in the quest for qualification for the knockouts and Arsenal boss Slegers is anticipating a tight game.

“I think they are capable of playing the game in different ways,” Slegers said when discussing FC Twente in the pre-match press conference. “They play it a certain way in the league at home in the Netherlands and then they have really strong game plans for high-level European opposition. I think you saw that in their game against Chelsea, Benfica, Leuven, all very close games.

“Of course, we are going to come out with high belief in ourselves because we know we’re a really good team but we’re also respectful of what they do and I think they will come out with the belief in themselves. They also need the points.

“I think they have quite an aggressive and passionate mindset in general in the Netherlands and that’s what they’re going to come out with. We look forward to the game but they’ve done an impressive run so far in the season.”

The Eurojackpot Vrouwen Eredivisie is one of European football’s lesser known competitions and Slegers admits that she hasn’t watched much Dutch club football in recent times.

She said “It’s not easy for me to follow the Eredivisie. I’m not in the Netherlands much myself, of course, so I can’t watch the matches live and it’s not always accessible on our platforms either. I haven’t seen much of the Eredivisie in recent years but I’ve been there myself and I’ve seen some.

“I follow the Dutch national team and the players who are coming through.”

Slegers was born around 80 miles from Enschede and the Dutchwoman is excited by the prospect of a European tie against a club from her homeland.

She said “I just think for a moment…’Who are we going to play against?’ That’s the Netherlands and that’s FC Twente, who started the Eredivisie in the Netherlands and I was part of that. It’s a very special moment to play against and coach against a Dutch team. The Twente players are all [younger], I’m 36 now, so I haven’t played with anyone there. I don’t know the coach well either but it seems like really good things are happening there at Twente.

“It’s definitely special for me to play against a Dutch team.”

Arsenal’s UEFA Women’s Champions League tie against FC Twente kicks-off at 8pm on Tuesday evening.